The Rogue River, a popular area trout stream is getting some love from Trout Unlimited, local partners and area school kids. Photo by Howard Meyerson

By Howard Meyerson

Anglers, teachers, concerned citizens and school children all are working to improve stream conditions for trout in the Rogue River, a popular Grand Rapids area trout stream that was adopted by Trout Unlimited, the national cold water conservation organization.

“It’s amazing how much we have accomplished and how many volunteers and partners we have,” says Nichol DeMol, TU’s Rogue River Home River Initiative program manager. “Last week we worked with 450 students from Sparta schools on Nash Creek (a tributary of the Rogue). The creek runs through Sparta where we’ve done water monitoring with the kids and planted more than 2,000 native plants.”

Area students help with stream monitoring efforts by collecting and tallying stream insects that trout eat. Photo by Howard Meyerson

National TU, based in Arlington, VA., selected the Rogue River in 2010 as one of its conservation priorities. The stream suffers from warm, summer water temperatures and sedimentation from construction on its banks. TU’s Home River Initiative seeks to bring attention to significant trout streams across the country. Other projects include the Blackfoot River and South Fork of the Snake River, both in Idaho, the Upper James River in Virginia and New York’s Beaverkill River.

To learn more about what’s being done as part of Trout Unlimited’s work on the Rogue River read this newest post on: Experience GR Blog.